1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition and a method for treating a glycoprotein-related disease and, more particularly, to a pharmaceutical composition and a method for treating a glycoprotein-related disease with phenol red and an organic arsenic compound.
2. Description of Related Art
Currently, clinical treatment of viral diseases is mainly based on supportive therapy. Supportive therapy involves fluid therapy and nutrition supplementation to help patients recuperate and to increase immunity. It also involves concurrent administration of broad-spectrum antibiotics to prevent secondary infection. However, whether viral diseases can be cured depends on individual's immunity.
Treatment of snake venom infection requires an initial determination of the infection to be hemorrhagic venom infection or neurotoxic venom infection. Administration of anti-snake venom serum then follows to neutralize toxicity and to increase immunity. With concurrent administration of antibiotics, healing time of wounds with redness and swelling is over 7 days.
Prion infection, such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy, scrapie, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, is caused by abnormal cellular metabolism due to glycosylation between carbohydrates and proteins in brain cells. Such abnormal cellular metabolism results in denaturation of proteins to infective proteins as well as deposition and aggregation of glycoproteins and amyloids to induce neuropathy. Until now, there is still no effective drug treatment and prevention for Prion infection.
Toxic protein infection by insects and reptiles, such as mosquitoes, bees, scorpions, spiders, centipedes, ants, and staphylinidae, is caused by injection of toxic proteins into mankind and animals by stinging. The result ranges from redness, swelling, allergy, itching, and inflammation of skin to fever. Such insects and reptiles also play roles as media or carriers of viruses, such as dengue viruses that belong to Flaviviridae and Flavivirus, West Nile virus, and Zika virus, to infect mankind and animals.
Cell abnormality includes pathological changes of eye cells, brain cells, and cellular metabolism. Cataract, one of the pathological changes of eye cells, is caused by abnormal metabolism and degeneration in the elderly. Such abnormal metabolism and degeneration result in abnormal glycosylation between carbohydrates and proteins in cells of eye lens. Cataract membrane formation due to deposition and aggregation of protein fibers leads to blurred vision. The current treatment of cataract includes surgical removal and laser treatment. However, such treatments are not completely pain-free and have risks for blindness as well as high surgery cost. Retinopathy, another pathological change of eye cells, is caused by glycosylation between carbohydrates and proteins in photoreceptors cells of fiber membrane and choroidal membrane of retina. Such glycosylation leads to degeneration and vision loss. The treatment of retinopathy generally includes supplementation of vitamin A and lutein. However, such treatment has no active therapeutic effect.
Alzheimer's disease, one of the pathological changes of brain cells, is also caused by glycosylation between carbohydrates and proteins in brain cells. Such glycosylation results in abnormal cellular metabolism as well as deposition and aggregation of glycoproteins and amyloids. These induce symptoms of dementia, memory loss, and degeneration of the elderly. Currently, there is no effective prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Parkinson's disease is also caused by glycosylation between carbohydrates and proteins in neurons of brain. Such glycosylation results in abnormal metabolism, neurodegeneration, as well as deposition and aggregation of amyloids and fibrins, leading to chronic neurological symptoms. There is also no prevention and effective treatment of Parkinson's disease.
Pancreatitis, a pathological change of cellular metabolism, is caused by glycosylation between carbohydrates and proteins in pancreatic cells. Such glycosylation results in abnormal cellular metabolism, degeneration, as well as deposition and aggregation of glycoproteins and amyloids. These lead to swelling of pancreas, acute and chronic inflammation, and fibrosis of pancreas. Such pancreatitis is often categorized as having unknown causes medically. Treatment of such pancreatitis depends on autologous immunity. There is no effective drug treatment for such pancreatitis. Kidney inflammation is caused by glycosylation between carbohydrates and proteins in renal cells. Such glycosylation results in abnormal cellular metabolism and degeneration as well as deposition and aggregation of amyloids. These lead to swelling of kidney, acute and chronic inflammation, and fibrosis of kidney. Such kidney inflammation is often categorized as having unknown causes medically. There is no effective drug treatment for such kidney inflammation. Hepatitis and cholangitis are caused by glycosylation between carbohydrates and proteins in hepatic cells. Such glycosylation results in abnormal cellular metabolism as well as deposition and aggregation of glycoproteins and amyloids. These lead to swelling and inflammation of liver and bile duct as well as fibrosis of liver. Medically, such hepatitis and cholangitis are categorized as acute fulminating hepatitis, acute hepatitis, acute cholangitis, or having other unknown causes. There is no effective drug treatment for such hepatitis and cholangitis.
Accordingly, there is a need to develop an effective drug for treating the aforesaid diseases.